Description

Coccinia grandis, the ivy gourd, also referred to as baby watermelon, little gourd, gentleman’s toes or even gherkin is actually an exotic vine belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae, in the genus Coccinia Wight & Arn. Other Common Names of Ivy includes Kowai fruit, Small Gourd, Scarlet-Fruited Gourd, Scarlet Gourd, Kovakka, little gourd, tonde Kai, Cephalandra indica, and Tindora.

vy gourd is actually a dioecious perennial climbing or trailing herbaceous vine sized 3 m (9 ft 10 in) tall which is found growing in a sun-drenched protected place. Normally it prefers sandy soil. It has got tuberous root systems with green stems, ribbed when young, glabrous, with simple, axillary tendrils. Leaves are palmately simple along with five lobes while the shape differs from the heart to pentagon form, size of the leaves is around 5 -10 cm in width and length. Upper surface of the leaf is hairless, while the lower is hairy. Flowers are usually star-shaped, large and white and about 4 cm in diameter and contain five long tubular petals which is found blooming during Aug to September.